Gerrard: Let’s be best Gers we can be in semi
RANGERS v HEARTS
BY GARY RALSTON
STEVEN GERRARD has ordered his players to zone in on their Hampden heartache and beware the jolted Jambos.
Rangers are bidding to make their first League Cup Final in nine years tomorrow when they take on managerless Hearts, still reeling from the sacking of Craig Levein.
The Light Blues were bundled out of the semifinal last season when a lack of firepower forced a call-up for misfit Umar Sadiq as Aberdeen won 1-0.
Gerrard is still seeking his first trophy as Rangers boss and the last time they won the competition was in 2011 when they saw off Celtic 2-1 with an extra time winner from Nikica Jelavic.
The Ibrox boss insists his men will make him proud if they hit the standards they’re capable of.
He said: “I’d be delighted for the players if we reached the final. There is no one on this planet who wants to see these players be successful more than me.
“I will be really proud if they get the job done.
“The players need to tap into the memory of how it felt getting on that team bus at Hampden after we were knocked out by Aberdeen last season.
“It wasn’t so much our performance on the day as our game management and maybe a lack of quality in the final third.
“I want the players to tap into that but focus on the job in hand.
“The challenge for the players is can we find the best Rangers? Can we be Rangers on the day?
“Everyone has seen how that looks and how good that can be.
“If we find that then I’m sure we’ll get the outcome we all want.”
Rangers are strong favourites to advance to the final, particularly in light of the decision of Hearts to axe Levein in the build up to the game.
But Gerrard is refusing to be lulled into a false sense of security, not least as his side struggled in their 1-1 draw at Tynecastle recently.
And he also spoke of his utmost respect for Jambos stand-in Austin MacPhee who has stepped up from assistant manager.
He added: “These players should be well aware that Hearts come as a massive challenge, with top players.
“I’ve had some really detailed conversations with Austin about coaching and tactics after games and he knows his stuff.
“We are fully expecting the best Hearts and the biggest threat Hearts can pose. There is nobody in this building thinks the semi-final is going to be a walk in the park.”